NOTD || Nails Inc in Optic Flame

My nails are in such bad condition, and the way that Optic Flame has applied is in no way representative of the polish, merely of my skill (or lack of it) and the condition of my nails.

You all know by now how much I just love nail polish. So you can imagine how excited I was when I found out that you could get a free, full size Nails Inc polish with the purchase of Colgate Max White One Toothpaste. I'd actually run out of toothpaste when I found this out, so I felt it was definitely time for a change of toothpaste brand. There were two shades on offer in my Boots store, this one and a pale pink which slightly resembled Fiji by Essie. Since the sun made an appearance a few days ago, I had started to feel that I didn't really have any good Summer nail polish colours, so I went for Optic Flame. It's a bright, red-toned orange, but it's not neon (despite the photo, which again I apologise for, the sun has gone in and this is the best lighting I could get). There's not really much else to say about this nail polish, but I can tell that I'm going to be wearing it constantly through out these Summer months.

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NOTD || Chanel Le Vernis in Fantastic 481

First of all, let me sincerely apologise for my less than attractive hand. It's a darn good thing I never wanted to be a ring model when I was younger! Now, onto the nail varnish... This shade is one of my absolute favourites; it's a dark berry colour, perfect for winter but also great for spring if paired with the right outfit. I wore it today with this dress, so although it's really lovely and summery out today, the pale colour of the dress kept the outfit fresh and light. Fantastic has a slight bit of shimmer in it, but you would only notice if it you were really looking. I can't find this specific shade around any more, but you can buy Chanel polishes here for £17:50. Now I know that this is really expensive and way out of most people's budgets, but fear not! I shall soon be doing a post about dupes for this nail polish and possibly others too!

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Strut Your Stuff || Essie Summer Collection 2014

I have a confession to make. I have a serious problem. It's called nail polish addiction. When I have my weekly trip to Boots and I walk past all of the stalls selling nail polish, I get butterflies, my legs turn to jelly and my palms get sweaty. "Gosh, that sounds horrible!" Some might say, but personally I really don't mind this little addiction of mine, until I get my bank statements and then I think I might need to see a professional. Recently I had a massive clear out of all my nail polishes, throwing out any I hadn't worn for ages, anything from Claire's and anything that was over 5 years old, as there's no way they apply properly any more. If I'm honest, I felt like I was abandoning children... Although I still have a relatively large collection of polishes, the vast majority are your average high street brands, but I do have 2 cherished Chanel nail polishes (one day I might publish an ode to them, as they are so darn beautiful).

A few days ago, it came to my attention that Essie have released their new Summer 2014 collection - to say I was excited would be a slight understatement. Although I don't currently own any Essie nail polishes, I plan on purchasing some in the near future. I have used them several times though at friend's houses and I definitely understand they hype surrounding them. They apply like a dream, the colours are to die for and the lasting power is pretty good too.

Urban Jungle
This is described as 'alabaster orchid'. To me, it looks really similar to the ever-hyped Fiji and also quite alike Topless and Barefoot. This shade would look great with a tan and a pretty dress in the sun and is bang on trend, with white nails being seen everywhere this season - although this isn't quite white, it's a great alternative for those who don't want to go with the in your face white shades, but still want to have a go at the trend.

Fierce, No Fear
This shade definitely isn't for everyone. It's described as a 'cocoa mahogany' and to me it looks like a bottle of melted chocolate. Personally, this would not be the shade I would choose to fall into my shopping basket, but I can imagine this looking great on those with darker skin, fitting in great with the nude trend that I love so. I would say this is a marmite shade - you either love it or hate it.

Roarrrrange
I completely agree with the description of this shade 'bold orange'. This gorgeous, punchy orange is definitely not for the shrinking violets of the nail polish world! This is a great summery shade, and I think this would be great with or without a tan, but amazing with a grey dress or top. I think this would be an awesome shade for those who want to try the neon trend without going full on neon.

Strut Your Stuff
This shade makes me weep a little. I am the biggest fan of blue nail polishes - I think they're fun, young and great for Summer or Winter. This is definitely one of the nicest shades I've seen. Essie says this is a 'cobalt aqua' - reading this description made me excited before I'd even seen the shade! If I were to buy any from this collection, Strut Your Stuff  would win hands down. This is quite similar to Bikini So Teeny although it's much brighter and isn't glittery. I prefer this shade.

Ruffles And Feathers
I really love this shade, described as a 'peacock teal', it's completely different to most of the nail polish shades I've seen - and trust me, I've seen a lot. I can't think of any other Essie shades that are similar. I think this is a great sophisticated green, as I find that most of them are either bright greens or mint green. A great choice for Summer and I think it could work in Autumn too.

Haute In The Heat
Nice one Essie. A modern twist on the classic pink. Almost neon, yet subtle enough to wear every day. This colour will look great with a tan, but also great on you paler skinned girls. Described as 'hot guava', I agree - this is definitely hot. I have a serious nail polish crush on this shade right now and I'm not normally one for pinks - I prefer my reds and blues. Snatch it up quick ladies, before it's gone!

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